WXMI-Fox 17, Emily Richett get behind 'Avenue Q'

So, have you seen "Avenue Q," the adults-only musical playing this week at DeVos Performance Hall? Apparently, media sponsor WXMI-TV (Channel 17), is not afraid to align itself with a production that some may perceive as a little risque for West Michigan.

Fox 17's online entertainment queen, Emily Richett, is pictured on the back cover of the show's playbill in a seductive pose, under the title, "The Internet is for Porn," followed by the marketing statement: "Putting the 'X' in wxmi.com."

It's a clever ad, playing off a song title in the show and also branding WXMI as a station not afraid to take chances or offend people.

I e-mailed Emily today, and she reports some unusual reaction to her ad at Tuesday's opening night.

"I'm getting a lot of feedback," said Richett, who joined the station in March as producer of a couple online features on WXMI.com. "People think it is funny, and they are impressed we were willing to shake things up from the ordinary ads."

Before the curtains went up, she said some folks were confused by her picture, and "The Internet is for Porn" headline.

"It was bizarre -- you literally saw that picture everywhere in the laps of old ladies, moms and young guys," she said, "Then the old woman in front of me turned to her friends and said 'This is just awful! The Internet is for Porn?' So, a lot of people don't get it at first. Then, when that song begins halfway through the show, there was a big 'Oooohhhhh' from the audience -- everyone just got it."

She said she is sure some folks were offended by the ad (and maybe they were the ones who walked out the play).

"But I think it was really clever and fun and perfectly appropriate for the event. I look at it this way -- it got people to think about our ad right in the middle of the play again! How many other ads did that?"

Just a reminder, "Avenue Q" continues with performances tonight through Sunday.